The present invention relates generally to the design and construction of a water proofing spray apparatus for use in waterproofing an exterior surface of basement walls. More particularly, the present invention includes a remote controlled airless spraying machine having a spray gun with a moveable arm for delivering waterproofing material onto basement walls. Although the invention was developed for use in applying a waterproofing coating to the exterior surface of a basement wall, certain applications may be outside of this field.
In todays technologically advanced building industry it is generally well known to apply a waterproofing coating during the construction phase to the exterior surface of porous concrete or masonry basement walls. Typically, for a period of time after the construction of the basement the subterrain portion of the wall is readily accessible by a workman for applying a waterproofing coating thereon. The application of a waterproofing coating onto the exterior surface of the basement wall is designed to minimize or prevent ground water seepage into the basement. Ground water seepage is a direct result of hydrostatic pressure that exerts a force which often drives the ground water through voids or pores in the basement walls.
The rate and quantity of ground water seepage through the basement wall is significantly effected by the soil conditions immediately surrounding the building. If the land surrounding the basement walls includes subsoil with a high clay content, naturally high water tables, or the lack of adequate drainage the ground water seepage will be amplified. Further, the lack of proper workmanship, the use of inferior materials and an improper design are just some of the factors that contribute to an increase in ground water seepage. Inferior or substandard mortar, block, or concrete creates paths or voids which allows the ground water to pass through the basement wall into the basement. Alternatively, if the basement wall is of a poured substantially solid concrete construction it may have imperfect bonding between the layers which allows for the seepage of ground water therebetween.
It is generally known in the building industry to provide a drainage tile adjacent the perimeter of the basement walls for channeling the ground water therefrom. Applying a water impervious membrane or coating to the exterior surface of the walls has generally been utilized by the building industry to minimize or prevent the seepage of ground water through the basement walls. Numerous techniques have been employed to apply waterproofing coating onto the exterior surface of the basement walls. The most common techniques have been to apply the waterproofing coatings with brushes, trowels or spraying equipment. The utilization of brushes or trowels to apply the waterproofing compound has been very labor intensive and often results in a coating with cracks, voids, and unevenness. Pragmatically because of the forementioned problems the application of the waterproofing compound with a trowel or brush has been limited to relatively small surface areas.
A more commonly used technique to apply the waterproofing coating onto the exterior surface of the basement wall is with a spraying apparatus. Common limitations associated with prior spraying apparatuses have been attributed to the inflexibility of the spraying apparatus, and the inability to remotely control the operation of the device. Further, many of the prior spraying machines have required the workman to change their techniques of applying the waterproofing coating to the exterior surface depending upon the geometry of the basement walls, rather than allowing the workman to reorient the nozzles to facilitate delivering the waterproofing compound to the exterior surface.
Even with a variety of earlier designs there remains a need for an improved waterproofing spray apparatus. The present invention satisfies this need in a novel and unobvious way.